Two-division champion Reinier de Ridder wants third belt, heavyweight shot
Reinier de Ridder is already a two-division champion in ONE Championship, but that doesn’t mean the undefeated 31-year-old champ-champ doesn’t want to add more gold to his collection.
“The Dutch Knight” has a 0 15-0 fight record and will defend his middleweight title against Vitaly Bigdash in the main event of ONE 159 in Singapore on Friday, but now also has his sights set on ONE heavyweight champ Arjan Bhullar.
“I’ve been saying this for too long now. But come on, give me a shot at heavyweight,” de Ridder told ONE Championship officials. “I hope [to get] Bhullar. Bhullar is an interesting matchup. I can’t say too much about my prediction right now, but I’m very confident in what I do, of course.”
While there is a possibility for de Ridder to make history and become the first ever triple-crown (three belt holder) in a major MMA promotion, the mission presently in front of him is Bigdash, a former champion himself. The July 22 fight card takes place at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
ONE 159 fight card:
Reinier de Ridder vs. Vitaly Bigdash – 205 lbs
Janet Todd vs. Lara Fernandez – 115 lbs
Bokang Masunyane vs. Hiroba Minowa – 125 lbs
M. PK Saenchai vs. Vladimir Kuzmin – 145 lbs
Peimian Zhang vs. Aslanbek Zikreev – 125 lbs
Zhaxi Zelang vs. Danial Williams – 125 lbs
Sinsamut Klinmee vs. Islam Murtazaev – 170 lbs
Ariel Sexton vs. Marat Gafurov – 170 lbs
Jessa Khan vs. Amanda Alequin – 115 lbs
Tae Ho Jin vs. Valmir da Silva – 185 lbs
M. Jamal Abdul-Latif vs. Anderson Silva – 265 lbs
Lea Bivins vs. Zeba Bano – 115 lbs
